'A six-hitting masterclass' - Twitter in awe of Robin Uthappa and Shivam Dube after CSK post 216 vs RCB

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) faced the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday (April 11) and the encounter lived up to its reputation, as far as the first innings is concerned. The defending champions have certainly arrived with the bat thanks to Shivam Dube and Robin Uthappa who literally toyed with the RCB bowlers on the day. It was due to their knocks that CSK crossed the 200-run mark for the second time this season.

However, the start wasn’t great yet again for the four-time champions. After being invited to bat first by RCB skipper Faf du Plessis, CSk lost their opener Ruturaj Gaikwad yet again for a low score. Josh Hazlewood, playing his first game of the season, pinned him in front of the stumps. Ruturaj got out inside the powerplay overs for the fifth consecutive game. Moeen Ali’s struggles also continued with the bat as he was involved in a mix-up with Robin Uthappa and got run-out courtesy of some excellent fielding from Suyash Prabhudessai.

At 36/2 in the 7th over, it seemed as if CSK would once again end up posting a below-par total. Uthappa was then joined by Shivam Dube as the duo looked to rebuild the innings. The duo calmly added 24 runs together to take the score to 60 off 10 overs.

Carnage in Mumbai as CSK add 156 runs in 10 overs

But followed after this point in the innings was just unexpected. It all started with Dube taking on Wanindu Hasaranga in the 11th over smashing him for a six and a four. However, the real acceleration began when Robin Uthappa took on Glenn Maxwell in the third over of his spell hitting him for three sixes in a single over and that turned the game on its head. It was just carnage as literally every bowlers was taken to the cleaners by the duo.

RCB’s bowlers were lost for ideas as irrespective of what they tried, Uthappa and Dube deposited it into the stands. The former also rolled back the clock on multiple times hitting the ball cleanly with one of the shots also being reminiscent of him smacking Brett Lee at Wankhede back in 2007. While Uthappa was busy rolling back his old days, the modern day guy Dube at the other end was just smacking every ball with disdain.

It goes without saying that both the batters got to their respective fifties and unveiled themselves in the death overs. The carnage continued till the innings ended with Dube shifting gears even more after Uthappa’s dismissals. It was unfortunate that both of them missed well deserved tons. Neveretheless, Uthappa and Dube literally brought CSK‘s season to life with their exceptional knocks. While the former scored 88 runs off 50 balls with 4 fours and nine sixes, Dube amassed 95 off just 46 deliveries with five fours and 8 sixes.

CSK finished with a mammoth total of 216 runs for the loss of four wickets in their 20 overs scoring an unthinkable 156 runs in their last 10 overs. It was a record breaking day for CSK in IPL 2022 as they registered the highest total of the season breaking Delhi Capitals’ record. The 165-run partnership between the power-hitting was also the highest of the season for any wicket while an all-time record in the IPL for the third wicket stand. Moreover, Uthappa also smacked nine sixes in his innings making it the most for a batter in IPL 2022 so far.

Here’s how Twitter reacted: